Cafe De Flore

This place is no longer part of the bike shop. A wall was added between the stores.
Coffee is good and there are refills. I didn’t order an espresso drink though. The breakfast burrito is good but is more like a breakfast wrap. See photo. It was good though, with fresh avocado. Service was slow, I’m not sure if its because it’s 7:30 on a Saturday morning with only 1 person making the food.
Some of the dishes (cup saucer) were chipped and cracked.
I’d come back.

I came here for lunch today and had a delightful experience. I ordered a turkey sandwich wrap and a chicken quesadilla for the 3 year old with me. The first thing I noticed was that the produce (romaine lettuce and tomatoes) on my wrap was really fresh. To me, the produce is just as important on a sandwich, burger, etc. as the meat. So bonus points for that. The second thing I noticed was that all of the other customers seemed to be regulars who were treated very well by the staff: «Hi, name they know, how are the kids? Would you like your regular order?» This wasn’t just reserved for the regulars. They were very nice to me and to the hoard of high school students that arrived, even though some of them were being pretty obnoxious. Bonus points for it being across from the library so I could return books and next door to the bike shop that has a free pump outside so I could fill up the tires on the little one’s stroller.
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Now on to something new. Honestly, I’ve had it with some of my fellow Unilocalers. Normally, I do not use my reviews as a chance to respond to other reviewers. I feel everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether or not I agree with them. However, reading previous reviews for Café De Flore, it reminds me why working in customer service can be horrible and leaves you wanting to commit either homicide or suicide or both. Let me paraphrase some of the previous complaints and why I think they’re a bit unfair:
1) Foodie S: I ordered to go and ended up dining in and they wanted to charge me a fee.
Well, Foodie, this is because they’re supposed to charge you… a dine-​in tax. Blame the government, not the café. Yes, most places will politely say nothing and swallow the cost themselves when you do something like this, but I guess their fining people is their way of discouraging this. I don’t agree that this policy is good customer service (you often have to just bite the bullet) but it’s not something to write a one star review over.
2) Allison: I noticed items from Costco (brownie bites and blueberry muffin) on display.
This is a café, not a bakery or restaurant. There is no industrial kitchen for them to make everything from scratch. They shop at Costco. The sad part, Allison, is that most restaurants outsource their baked goods too, they just get theirs delivered from industry vendors instead of picking it up at Costco where you can spot the items. Why does this seem so strange? Before they opened it up to the public, their whole business model was to sell items in bulk at wholesale to be sold for retail in small businesses, hence why the business card holders still don’t pay taxes (the assumption is that sales tax will be paid upon the final purchase in the business owner’s shop). The rest of your review about not liking the food or the chairs I respect as your opinion.
3) Sam F: I should have known better than to order here since they have metal chairs. I’m willing to slum it– I mean I condescend to go to taquerias, after all– but this was a huge sign. My gf orders a salad with dressing we didn’t like and they were willing to re-​make the salad with the dressing we already knew we didn’t like but didn’t bother to substitute with something else on the side. We couldn’t bring ourselves to eat it because the dressing didn’t magically change flavor when you put it on the side.
Sam, Sam, Sam. I’m pretty sure the way I chose to paraphrase your review explains how I feel about it. Nuff said.

Not cool. Asked for the persons opinion from the blt and the club so I ordered the club. I was given a blt. Then I guess you get fined if you order to go and then end up staying to eat there. Wth man since when is that a bad thing. I mean I just figured I’m giving them less to clean up, I’m eating out of the wrapper. Anyways last time. Food is ok.

Service: Poor — I asked whether they had a sandwich/​soup combo, with a very impatient voice the lady answered, «We only have vegetable soup.» Then as I was saying, «I’ll have the sandwich/​salad combo,» before I even finished my sentence, the lady turned away and started to prepare a drink for some other customer, walked to the chef on the side and started to take another order for someone who worked next door at the bike shop & carries on a small talk conversation with him, then she heads to the back. Finally she comes back to the front counter, not to apologize to me or even to continue taking my order, she does something else. I had to ask her whether she took my order because I was left hanging w/​o any explanation. Rude!

Environment: Poor — The aesthetics of this place was ok but there was this AWFUL smell of ammonia mixed with the rubber smell of tires. I literally got sick from the smell. It’s like I was there for almost ½ hr. sniffing ammonia.

Delivery Time: Poor — From ordering to leaving the place took almost 45 minuites. I was the 2^nd customer to order (supposed to be the 1^st but they let a bike shop employee cut in front of me).

Food: Average — Tasted ok but I can get the same quality for much better service & price from similar businesses around this area.

Price: Average — Average prices (I’m being objective) but AGAIN for the same price, I can get much better service and comparable quality in this area.
Experience: Poor — I might give this place another chance but it’ll be a long while or with a good enough lunch date that can convince me to go again.

Owner is great. I come and drink my coffee and occasionally work from here which they are fine with. Food is good too.

Café de Flore is a place where you can alway get in and out without the heavy parking issues of downtown Los Gatos. Located opposite the library and next door to the high school, this deli type of lounge attracts the wireless morning bums who like the comfort of a open space with a vast menu. Harpo and Enrique lend their attentive friendships every day for my kids who carry a tab with a limit during their schools days. I know they have choices and that Harpo keeps track of their purchases for me to review. They are much more than food, they are like family.

this has been a favorite hang out for years, since my kids did baby classes at the rec. center. The owner is a lovely lady who remembers her customers and is just nice as can be. Best non-​dairy mocha frap!
you can hit the library, bike store and then relax with a sandwich and coffee here. Delish!

Went to Los Gatos for fun with my family one weekend… stopped by at this place for lunch. Upon entering, was greeted by staff — seems like a family owned business. They were very nice and helped us decide on what to eat. They bake their pizzas from scratch, so we decided to try one. It was pretty good and the price was decent. My wife got the mango salad as well — gorgeous colors and was really great. All in all, a great experience and will return when visiting.

Good place to relax talk if you’re tired of the hustle of the cafes on Santa Cruz Ave. The food and drink choices may not be spectacular, but it’s calm and chill towards the end of the day. They have some nice small comfy seat couches in the back which are nice to relax it. I’ve been here only a couple of times so far for drinks, once outside and once inside. I suppose I might review different had I tried the food here.

When I walked in here I should have known better than to order, but I took a chance. The first thing I noticed is that the restaurant shares a wall with an adjoining bicycle shop, and a warehouse style door connects them. This door was open, which was fine, but it does seem a bit odd to connect a café directly to a bicycle repair shop.
The next was that half the chairs are unibody tin, and are unsightly as well as uncomfortable. We ended up moving to the wooden chairs which aren’t a whole lot better.
I am used to eating in taquerias, etc., so I didn’t really care about the décor much, but I mention it for what it’s worth.
The staff is polite, if not particularly friendly.
I haven’t tried everything on the menu, but I had the chicken sandwich which was decent.
My gf had the tossed baby greens salid, which were drowned in «balsamic vinagrette,» and this was the downer on this place. The vinagrette might as well have been vinegar. There was little to no oil in it and it completely burned my mouth when I tried it (my gf suggested I try it after she couldn’t eat it). We asked for a replacement with dressing on the side, but they ran out of greens and made it from romaine lettuce. The vinagrette on the side was equally overpowering.
Needless to say, we didn’t eat the salad, and won’t be returning.

This place is great! Very friendly people and great food. The chicken and Brie sandwich is to die for. The breakfast sandwiches are great too.
Go and Enjoy!

I come here every Saturday morning at 745am. :) meet up a couple friends and have some good conversations. The plain bagel with cream cheese tosted to perfection. yummy. I usually get the hot chocolate since i’m not a coffee fan or i get the orange juice. My friends sometimes get the soy lattes and other yummy breakfast items they have. I’ll have to change my routine meal so i can Unilocal some more about this, but its a great and home-​y place to go. The owners of the store which is a family i presume, are great and friendly. Seeing them every saturday keeps up a great relationship.

A quaint little café on the outskirts of downtown Los Gatos. Not only do they serve coffee beverages and sweets, they make Mediterranean food like falafels. Had a great blended mocha which is a decent surrogate for the blendeds that I get at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.